Agents Bust Alleged Human Smuggling Attempt at Texas Airport near Border

Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol agents and local police officers disrupted an attempt by alleged human smugglers to transport four Central American migrants on a private aircraft. The incident took place at the Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas.

Rio Grande Valley Sector agents assigned to the Border Patrol Intelligence team received information regarding suspicious activity at the Valley International Airport on May 25. Agents responded with the assistance of Harlingen, Texas, police officers and approached an aircraft at Gulf Aviation.

Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez tweeted photos showing a person believed to be the aircraft’s pilot escorting four individuals to the aircraft. Agents moved in and questioned the five people involved in the alleged smuggling activity.

The agents identified the four passengers, two men and two women, as citizens of Guatemala and Honduras. The four migrants had no documents permitting them to legally be present in the United States.

The agents arrested the four migrants and two pilots. The Harlingen Police Department seized the aircraft used in the alleged smuggling attempt, according to a statement from CBP officials.

“Great work to all involved,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez, “This particular case highlights the importance of our law enforcement partnerships, especially intercepting unconventional smuggling methods.”

In September 2022, Texas Department of Public Safety special agents and Border Patrol agents interdicted another aviation-related human smuggling incident at the McAllen, Texas, airport, Breitbart Texas reported.

In this incident, 19 migrants were found in the attempted human smuggling incident. The Central American migrants were allegedly being smuggled to the Houston area.